The Right To Know

News about the First Amendment, the free press, public records, open meetings, FOIA, GRAMA, government transparency and the public’s right to know.

[Poynter @Poynter]

For decades, Stars and Stripes has been a vital part of the journalistic ecosystem covering the U.S. military, specifically serving the 1.3 million active-duty troops, their families and millions more retired service members.

That credibility and editorial independence are in jeopardy, write Poynter’s Jon Greenberg and Kelly McBride, following the recent firings of publisher Max Lederer and editor-in-chief Erik Slavin. Critical journalism that documents the conditions service members endure, exposes broken systems and holds the generals and the administration accountable ultimately makes the U.S. military stronger.

https://t.co/Fwm9hUmQWU

[Society of Professional Journalists @spj_tweets]

SPJ joins a coalition led by @FACoalition in supporting SB 423, a California transparency bill that would give journalists greater access to 911 calls and related records from private immigration detention facilities.

➡️ Learn more about the bill: https://t.co/fGArddczGx

[Poynter @Poynter]

For journalism to survive, “the journalism itself must become indispensable to people. To make that shift, journalists must make the public the focus of their work, not a bystander to it,” writes journalism professor Tom Rosenstiel.

For Poynter, Rosenstiel makes the case for why (and how) the news industry must shift from a “Journalism of Attention to a Journalism of Value.”
https://t.co/S6v50yUu1a

[The Right To Know @UTRightToKnow]

ICYMI

[Society of Professional Journalists @spj_tweets]

A coalition of groups led by SPJ is urging the U.S. Department of the Interior to reconsider an internal policy prohibiting employees from communicating about deaths or serious injuries in national parks.

➡️ Read the full letter: https://t.co/AOFL8ytrqe

[Society of Professional Journalists @spj_tweets]

Journalism has changed. Its core principles have not. SPJ will release proposed Code of Ethics revisions Aug. 10. Join a listening session to learn more & weigh in:

🗓️Aug. 13 & 18, 7 p.m. EDT | Aug. 28, 4 p.m. EDT

🔗Register: https://t.co/UucmUWl2sB
📧Questions: [email protected]

[UtahSPJ @UtahSPJ]

“At bottom, the Legislature’s denial of a credential to Schott implicates his constitutional right to access either a limited public or nonpublic forum free from viewpoint discrimination.” https://t.co/v670b41Gzy @CourthouseNews #Utah #BryanSchott @sltrib

[Freedom of the Press Foundation @FreedomofPress]

📺 Learn about the First Amendment through the life and work of legendary free speech lawyer Floyd Abrams in the biopic "Floyd Abrams: Speaking Freely," which releases today on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and more.

Learn more:
https://t.co/rjer6zjB85

[Freedom of the Press Foundation @FreedomofPress]

From leaked White House memos exposing the plot to suspend habeas corpus, to ICE lowering private prison standards while cutting death reporting to hide negligence, the fight for transparency rages on.

Read the latest issue of The Classifieds for more:
https://t.co/qGYNu794S0

[Alex Springer @CaptainSpringer]

The @CityWeekly team had a great night at the @UtahSPJ Headliners Awards last night--read all about it here:
https://t.co/zryv4a3MOi

[UtahSPJ @UtahSPJ]

The newsroom decided to measure its work against the best reporters in the state, less for the recognition than to see how the reporting held up. It held up well. https://t.co/1BN7oUFLNp @TownLiftNews #journalism

[UtahSPJ @UtahSPJ]

“The Park Record gives you a solid feel for the community and readers,” judges said. “Good coverage of their community and great calendars for current and upcoming events. https://t.co/w9Ico2by6v @Parkrecord #ParkRecord #UtahHeadliners

[Freedom of the Press Foundation @FreedomofPress]

"The public deserves to know what’s going on in their communities economically [and] socially. If people are afraid to talk to reporters, we are poorer as a society for it," FPF's Adam Rose said.

https://t.co/0EsksL5Dpa

[#NABJ Headquarters ✊🏾🖊️🎙️💻 📷 🎥 📝 🔈 @NABJ]

Black women journalists deserve the freedom to do their jobs without being targeted, demeaned, or publicly attacked for asking legitimate questions. We will continue to defend the dignity, safety, and press freedom of Black journalists everywhere.

#NABJ #BlackWomenJournalists

[Society of Professional Journalists @spj_tweets]

🎓 Know a 2026 journalism graduate? Give a gift that goes beyond graduation day with an SPJ post-grad membership — three years for just $80.

🎉 Plus, celebrate commencement with SPJ graduation cords.

🤳 Scan the QR codes below to gift a membership or order graduation cords.

[Society of Professional Journalists @spj_tweets]

🚨 Good news — the deadline to submit SPJ member award nominations has been extended to May 22! 🚨

⏰ Take a few minutes to recognize the professionals, advisers & students making a difference in your chapter, SPJ & beyond.

🔗Learn more & submit now: https://t.co/JDJe9GRUC4

[UtahSPJ @UtahSPJ]

The complaint mentioned a state law prohibiting municipalities and counties from “the use of email … to advocate for or against an initiative,” adding “internal and external communications” from both governments suggest “opposition coordination.” @ReporterPetr #PublicRecords

[The Right To Know @UTRightToKnow]

#FreedomOfInformationLaw #PublicRecords

[Freedom of the Press Foundation @FreedomofPress]

It is absurd that in 2026, New York State agencies may still require FOIL appeals to be done via snail mail.

Read the letter we signed urging the Legislature to pass a new bill that would require agencies to accept electronic appeals: https://t.co/x9mlmtRA5t

[Freedom of the Press Foundation @FreedomofPress]

Congress is set to vote this week on the law @RonWyden has been warning about, Section 702 of FISA.

Use our action center to tell your lawmaker not to renew Section 702 without major reform to protect Americans' privacy rights: https://t.co/cn3IRf4txa

[Society of Professional Journalists @spj_tweets]

The SPJ Board of Directors approved renaming the Ethics in Journalism Award to the “Fred Brown SPJ Ethics in Journalism Award” in an open session during its board meeting Friday.

🔗View the full press release: https://t.co/PT3acA5t2C

[Society of Professional Journalists @spj_tweets]

📢Share your feedback with us!

SPJ Ethics Committee Member Stephen Adler invites journalists and the public to take two surveys as the Committee considers updates to the SPJ Code of Ethics for its 100th anniversary.

⏰Surveys close 11:59 p.m EDT Sunday: https://t.co/aZCHeCEIqL